


The Offering

by Lucifers_Pony



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Cas, Alpha Castiel/Omega Dean Winchester, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Bottom Dean, Knotting, M/M, Omega Dean, Possessive Castiel, Prince Castiel, Public Sex, Rough Sex, Top Castiel, Virgin Dean, dubcon, kind of, mentions of mpreg, noncon, there's some minor dean/benny
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-13
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2018-10-04 02:45:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10265882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucifers_Pony/pseuds/Lucifers_Pony
Summary: Dean is relieved he isn't chosen for the offering ceremony; fortunately for him he's already betrothed to his friend Benny. But when prince Castiel sets his eye on him, Dean finds himself an unwilling participant.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> There is noncon/dubcon here so proceed with caution. You have been warned.

Dean reluctantly approached the crowd gathering in the village center. Though he really would've rather stayed home, everyone was required to be there to welcome the visiting royal family. Their little tribe was on the outskirts of the kingdom, far removed from the wealth and power of the Novak’s. The king, Michael, had two alpha siblings who ruled alongside him as princes. Each were great warriors, Michael known for his righteousness, Lucifer for his cruelty, and Castiel for his tactical skills. The three were touring the countryside to celebrate their victory over the neighboring kingdom of Hell, which is how they found themselves sat on a raised stage in the center of Lawrence. They were settled on soft furs and blankets, surrounded by the finest food and drink from the area. Soon they would start the offering ceremony, and Dean was relieved he wasn’t amongst those chosen for the royal family to sample. He hated the idea of the antiquated ritual.

Those of upper nobility believed that taking the virginity of an omega led to good health and fortune. After every successful war, the royal alphas would tour their domain in celebration, stopping by each village and deflowering the omegas offered. It was said to be an honor to offer oneself to the crown, that it may even lead to a claiming by one of the princes. But Dean knew better. The princes never claimed the omegas they used, and an omega was considered damaged goods without their virginity – most alphas and betas wouldn’t consider mating with them afterwards, and half the time they were left pregnant with an illegitimate pup. Unless they were from a wealthy family, they were destined for a single life of poverty, or worse, being shipped off to a brothel. Dean shivered at the thought.

Luckily for him, Dean wasn’t one of the chosen few. He was much too tall and bulky, not to mention already betrothed to another; he had even taken to wearing the traditional cloak of a promised omega, just to make it clear he was off the market. He and Benny were set to be mated by the end of the month, and he couldn’t be more relived to be settling down with his best friend - a man he cared deeply for and who he knew respected him. Looking through the crowd he spotted the alpha and waived him over. Benny complied, greeting him with a smile and wrapping an arm around him.

“How you doin’ Cher?”

“Pretty good, alpha. Better now that you’re here.”

Dean didn’t care if it sounded cheesy, choosing instead to peck the alpha on the lips before turning back toward the stage. Expecting to see more lazy lounging by the royals, he froze when he instead met icy blue eyes. Prince Castiel was watching him with a concentrated frown, his piercing gaze sending a barely suppressed shiver down Dean’s spine. The omega quickly averted his eyes, wondering if he had done something to offend the prince. Benny’s grip on him tightened, the alpha leaning in to press a kiss to his forehead. Dean snuggled closer, but couldn’t shake the feeling of eyes boring into him.

Soon the nobles became bored with their food and drink, signaling for the offering ceremony to begin. The royal guards brought out the omegas, three beautiful young females Dean knew, had grown up with. They were led up to the staged area, placed in front of each royal in a presenting position. They had already been prepped--wouldn’t want the alphas to have to go in dry--and by the looks of it a little drugged. Probably given something to take the edge off. Michael and Lucifer moved forward with interest, while Castiel sat back unimpressed. The head guard stood, silencing the already quiet crowd.

“Do you, omegas of Lawrence, consent to the offering of your bodies to our honorable royal family?”

There was a meek chorus of “I do”s before Michael and Lucifer grabbed their offerings, wasting no time thrusting into their waiting heat. Dean furrowed his brows as Castiel sat back with his arms crossed, not moving toward the girl in front of him. Whispers began to ripple through the crowd, the omega looking confused and afraid as she waited in position. Michael seemed to notice his brother’s lack of participation even as he clearly enjoyed using his own gift.

“What’s wrong brother? Not satisfied with yours?”

“No.” was all the prince offered, turning to an approaching guard and conversing quietly. The crowd grew silent as they strained to hear what was going on. Nothing like this had ever happened before, no prince had refused an omega. There was a murmur through the crowd as Castiel, still speaking to the guard, began to point at – no wait, it couldn’t be –

All eyes in the crowd turned toward Dean as a group of guards approached him. He was momentarily frozen, unsure of what was happening even as Benny tightened his grip around him and emitted a low growl. The alpha was quickly ripped away by guards that had come up from behind, others latching onto Dean and dragging him toward the stage where Castiel was watching like a hawk. The omega futilely struggled in their grasps, quickly stilling when a guard warned “Comply or your family is dead.” Dean knew it would be easy to identify his family—they were part of a small tribe after all—and he wasn’t about to risk their lives. Instead he let himself be led to the stage, didn’t resist as the guards removed his clothing. Someone must have ushered the unwanted omega away, because Dean felt himself being adjusted into a presenting position where she had been kneeling. Panic began to flood through his veins as he automatically glanced up at the crowd, eyes finding his shocked parents and brother watching with the rest of them. This was simply not done. Omegas were not rejected, and certainly not replaced with ones who were betrothed to someone else.

“Oh Castiel. Always so picky.” Dean turned his head to see Lucifer had spoken, viciously fucking into the omega on Dean’s far right. The girl’s long dark hair was yanked back in what looked like a painful position, body taught as she was violated. Dean trembled, instinctively knowing that would be him soon.

“She bored me. This one is tolerable.”

Dean felt his face flush in shame even as his stomach boiled in anger. He was going to be deflowered like this, taken from his intended and against his will in front of everyone he knew, because he was _tolerable_?

“Do you, omega, consent to the offering of your body to prince Castiel?” The head guard was speaking directly to him this time, and the word ‘no’ threatened to bubble out of his throat. Scanning the crowd he quickly caught sight of Benny, eyes wide and angry as he was held back by two guards. Even as they made eye contact, the words of that earlier guard echoed in Dean’s head. He knew what he had to do. No one refused the royal family. Not even him.

“I do.”

Hands immediately roamed his body, briefly kneading his ass and thighs before dipping further. Dean struggled to be still as he felt fingers breaching his slit. He had never been touched there before, not even by Benny, the importance of his purity stressed to him for so long he would allow nothing before his wedding night. He noticed that Michael had taken his omega’s ass rather than cunt, a small mercy – she would no longer be considered a virgin, but her true purity would still be intact. She still might have a chance to mate after this. Dean would not be so lucky.

Fingers began to probe inside him, fucking into his channel until he produced some natural lubrication. Apparently satisfied, the prince removed his digits and settled his hands on Dean's hips, rutting his cock along the omega's slit. Dean tried not to panic as Castiel maneuvered the tip of his cock into his waiting cunt, slowly but steadily spearing open his channel and nestling into Dean’s most cherished place. It was a little painful—how full it felt—and the omega only had a moment to adjust before Castiel began moving inside of him. He pulled out slowly, making sure Dean felt every inch before suddenly ramming back into him. Jolted forward, the omega let out a surprised yelp at the intrusion. He could sense the smug smile from the prince, scent it in the air around him as the alpha repeated his motions. Bile rose in Dean’s throat as shame twisted his insides; he had never felt so violated, never felt so totally _owned_.

The fucking continued, Dean growing used to the cock now sawing away inside of him. Distantly he heard Lucifer’s omega crying out in pain as the prince finished violently, pulling out and shoving the girl away as soon as he was done. Michael continued rutting into the omega next to him, while Castiel built up a rhythm inside of Dean. He could do nothing but take it as his cunt was pounded. 

Seemingly against his own will he looked up again to meet Benny’s gaze. The man wasn’t looking at him though – he was looking at something above and behind him. Dean knew it was at the alpha who had stolen him away. Given the smug scent still permeating the air, Dean would bet anything Castiel was staring back. As if on cue the alpha delivered two particularly hard thrusts, making the omega grunt.

Their coupling continued, Dean obediently still as the alpha took what he wanted. Eventually the cock inside of him began to feel good, the friction from the steady rhythm a pleasant burn. Occasionally Castiel would swivel his hips, brushing against the omega’s inner walls in a way that lit up his insides with pleasure. He was so lost in the new sensations he almost missed Michael finishing with a grunt beside them, removing himself from his omega before joining Lucifer. Now it was just Dean and Castiel, the alpha fucking away as Dean wondered how much longer it would take him to finish.

Unsatisfied with their position, the prince gripped Dean’s hips and pulled them up further, entering him at a steeper angle and hitting a spot inside him that had the omega gasping. The rumors Dean heard must’ve been true – there was a g-spot, and Castiel was pounding into it with every thrust. He panted, feeling himself flush in pleasure as the prince's cock continued to hit that glorious spot. The alpha’s thrusts were steady and measured, as if Castiel was purposefully trying to drive Dean out of his mind. Without thinking the omega looked up again, seeing Benny’s eyes had returned to him. This time they were filled with betrayal. Dean immediately looked down, unable to look at the man he once called his fiancé. Not while he was panting like a whore on another man’s dick.

Castiel began to really drive into him, sending jolts of electricity through his body with every powerful thrust. Dean couldn’t hold back his moans of pleasure as the alpha sped up, pushing him closer and closer to some unknown crescendo. With a particularly hard thrust the omega’s vision went white as he came, his mouth forming a silent ‘o’ as his cock shot jets of come across the stage. The prince never slowed, losing rhythm as he chased his own pleasure. Dean felt over-sensitized by the rough fucking so soon after he came, whining as the alpha repeatedly buried himself in him.

To his surprise, he felt a hard ball begin to tug at his channel. He had assumed Castiel wouldn’t want to knot him; neither of his brothers had knotted their omegas, probably not wanting to bother with being tied to them. But the prince was undeterred, his thrusts turning into rapid rutting. Shoving his knot into Dean one last time, he came with a roar as he finally locked inside the omega. Dean’s cunt instinctively clamped down, milking the cock inside him for all it was worth. The alpha gave a filthy moan at the sensation, continuing to rock into the omega as if to get impossibly deeper. Without warning, he suddenly leaned forward and clamped his teeth over the back of Dean’s neck. The omega barely had time to register the crowd’s gasp before he felt the mating bond snap into place, a second orgasm involuntarily ripped out of him. His mind reeled in shock, not comprehending what just happened. The princes didn’t claim the virgins they fucked. It was always mentioned as a possibility, but never actually happened. It couldn’t have. Not to him.

Dean went pliant as the alpha continued to clamp down on his neck, rutting into him with animalistic grunts at his claiming. Eventually he seemed to regain control of his senses, licking at the bite mark to clean the wound and straightening back up. Dean heard Michael and Lucifer offer surprised congratulations to their brother, heard the crowd fill with excited murmuring at one of their own being claimed by a prince. Soon Michael was demanding wine for everyone to toast his brother’s mating, music starting up as the town prepared to celebrate. Castiel continued to rock into him, warmth filling his channel as the alpha planted his seed inside of him.

Exhausted and unsure how much longer he could hold himself up, Dean tried to distract himself by glancing back to the crowd. Benny was gone, by force or choice he didn’t know. His family still stood in the center, their shocked faces mixed with worry and confusion. Other villagers were swarming around them, offering their congratulations. His father almost seemed strangely proud. Dean didn’t want to think about it, shivering as the prince’s hands ran possessively across his back.

“What’s your name, omega?”

It was the first time Castiel bothered talking to him, and Dean felt a rush of revulsion at the thought. Still, he supposed he had to answer.

“Dean.”

“Hello, Dean.”

Apparently, that was all the alpha wanted to know. With a few gestures from the prince two guards came forward, bringing with them some furs. Carefully maneuvering them so as not to tug on his knot, Castiel laid the two of them on the makeshift bedding. He quickly pulled a blanket over them, and Dean was grateful for the warmth. Melting back into the arms that had wrapped around him, he finally let himself succumb to exhaustion. The last thing he remembered before passing out was Castiel nuzzling at his mating bite, gripping him tighter as he ground into him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean wakes up from his mating heat and gets his first taste of the royal treatment. Of course, he still has a lot to learn about Prince Castiel...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of hate writing sequels because I feel this heightened pressure to write something good, or at least just as good as the first one. Because now people have developed expectations. But, I've been obsessing over this way too long trying to get it perfect, so I'm just publishing this as is. I hope you enjoy it and I didn't disappoint anyone.

After the claiming Dean had gone into his mating heat, and with him in no state to travel Prince Castiel had ordered a private tent for them to wait it out. The omega’s memories of that week were a hazy blend of sweat covered bodies writhing on soft furs, his need overwhelming as the alpha reclaimed him again and again. By the time he returned to his senses on Sunday he felt wiped out, body sore and sticky and riddled with small bruises.

He was relieved to wake up alone, able to breathe for the first time in what felt like ages. In the back of his mind he was aware of a hurricane of emotion slowly coiling in his belly, but for the moment all he felt was numb. Taking in his surroundings he noticed a pitcher and realized how thirsty he was, prompting him to gingerly stand and pad over to it. Relieved to find water inside, he ignored the cups completely and drank straight from the basin, emptying it. Omega’s tended to lose a lot of fluids during heat, though judging by his lack of headache Castiel must have made sure he wasn’t too dehydrated.

Suddenly there was noise outside the tent, and Dean only had a moment to prepare himself before the prince entered. His eyes furrowed when he saw the empty space where the omega had been laying, quickly searching the room before relaxing at the sight of him. Dean’s hands immediately moved to cover some of his nakedness, a flush of embarrassment spreading over his body. Amusement danced in the alpha’s eyes at that, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

“You’re up. I take it the heat has passed?”

The man began walking towards him, and Dean instinctively moved to put the pitcher table between them. The alpha paused, something akin to disappointment flashing across his face, but whatever was there was quickly replaced by the man’s regular, stoic gaze. Thankfully he stopped where he was, clearing his throat as the omega eyed him with tension.

“How are you feeling? Are you experiencing any pain or sickness from the heat?” He was watching him with that same hawk-like gaze Dean remembered from the ceremony, as if with his eyes alone he might discern any discomfort the omega was feeling. Dean found it disconcerting, but at the man’s expectant look shook his head no. The prince frowned.

“Right. I’ll have a bath brought in for you so you can get cleaned. We were able to commission a few suitable garments from your village’s seamstress for the journey back. I think you will be quite pleased with them.”

He paused, staring at Dean as if waiting for a reply. When the omega remained silent his frown merely deepened.

“I’ll return shortly, after you’ve bathed. Cover yourself in front of the guards.”

At that the man turned on his heel and left, leaving Dean dumbfounded in his wake. What, like he was naked by choice? Well, he might be depending on what “suitable garments” the prince got Garth to make for him. Outside Dean could hear muffled orders from the alpha, and a cursory glance of the room revealed no clothing. At a loss, he grabbed a blanket from their makeshift nest, wrapping it around himself and moving to stand behind the pitcher table again.

The alphas words echoed in his mind, particularly the “journey back.” He assumed that meant the Novak’s palace, located in the center of the kingdom. The thought had anxiety crawling under his skin. He was going to have to leave his village, his family and friends and everything he’d ever known. Would he even get the chance to say goodbye?

His thoughts were disrupted by a slew of beta guards entering the tent, dragging in a bath basin and several buckets of water. There was a brief flurry of activity as they swept around the room, the filthy furs and blankets removed and what looked like clothing (finally) and an assortment of bottles and soaps taking their place. Eventually the guards lined up by the exit, one stepping forward to address him as they all averted their eyes.

“We weren’t prepared for an omega on this trip, m’lord, but we gathered the best soaps and oils we could find under the circumstances. We have also brought the clothes Prince Castiel has chosen for you. The rest will be packed onto the caravan for the journey back. His majesty will return to dine with you once you’re finished cleaning. If you need anything in the meantime, we will be outside.” The man gave a small little bow before retreating from the tent, the others following suit. Dean frowned at the strange behavior, but after waiting a moment to ensure no one else was coming in he eagerly discarded his blanket and entered the bath.

The water was warm, soothing his aching muscles as he submerged himself. It was rare to bathe in hot water outside of winter in his village, people usually opting for the convenience of the river. Dean let himself enjoy it for a moment, sinking down and shutting his eyes as he breathed in the rising steam. Finally starting to relax, he curiously picked up one of the bottles only to scrunch his nose at the strong floral scent that greeted him. Casting it aside he went through the others, repeatedly overwhelmed by scents of jasmine, honeysuckle, and rose. Dean was no delicate flower, and he didn’t want to smell like one either; his royal highness would just have to get used to that. He grabbed the most neutral soap he could find and began scrubbing, desperate to get the scent of heat sex off of him.

Eventually the water began to grow cool, and Dean reluctantly stood and poured the rinsing bucket over his head before stepping out of the bath. He dried himself off before moving to inspect the clothing apparently selected by Prince Castiel. Not knowing what to expect, he was relieved to see it wasn’t that bad: ivory trousers and a dark green tunic with golden stitching. The fabric was soft and smooth, nicer than anything he’d ever worn before. He’d just finished slipping them on when the prince suddenly reentered the tent.

“Oh good, you’re dressed. Well, let me see you.”

Dean straightened up, unsure what exactly the alpha wanted him to do. The man looked over him appraisingly, eyes raking over his body in a way that made the omega feel as if he were wearing nothing at all. Castiel began circling him, slowly coming closer until he paused behind Dean. The omega instinctively tilted his head when he felt the alpha scent him, going still as the man’s hands settled on his waist.

“Mmm. I’m glad you used neutral soap. I so enjoy your natural scent.” The hands started roaming, moving sensually up the omega’s sides while Dean fought back the panic rising in his throat. Fortunately his stomach chose that moment to rumble loudly, causing the prince’s hands to still and then drop away.

“My apologies. You must be famished after your heat. Come, let us eat.”

The alpha stepped around him, swiftly moving toward the exit. Dean followed silently, relieved at the sudden change of events. He tried not to make a face when the alpha held open the tent flap for him, or at the satisfied look on the man’s face when he took in Dean’s slight limp and marked up neck. Possessive bastard.

They headed toward the center of the village, any hopes of inconspicuousness dashed by the guards flanking them. Dean tried to ignore the curious open gazes of the villagers, the whispers that followed him harder to block out; memories of the claiming flashed unbidden to his mind at their words, a flush rising up his neck involuntarily. He was relieved when they finally reached their destination, the prince entering the chief’s hut without hesitation. Upon following him Dean realized the chief’s belongings had been moved along the walls, the center of the room now filled with a dining area. Much to Dean’s relief two place settings lined each side of the table, the prince holding out a chair for him expectantly. At least he wouldn't feed him like a dog.

As soon as they were seated a slew of beta guards began placing food and wine on the table, more options than Dean had ever seen before in his life. He waited until the prince gestured for him to help himself before lunging to fill his plate, not needing to be told twice. He honestly felt hungry enough to sample everything. The prince watched him with raised brows as he enthusiastically dug in, and only after his initial hunger had abated did he feel something akin to embarrassment at his manners. Slowing himself down, he noticed the alpha had hardly eaten anything at all, instead choosing to survey him.

“You’re very quiet.” The omega considered pointing out that he had never been given permission to speak, but instead chose to keep his spiteful silence. The alpha continued to stare, Dean ignoring him in favor of taking a hearty swig of wine. Finally the man sighed.

“Look, Dean. I know this must be a difficult transition for you. I’m sure you have questions. I’m willing to answer them. But my patience won’t last forever.”

That last comment only fueled Dean’s desire to keep quiet, to see how far he could push the alpha before he snapped. But he also knew he had to be smart about this; his family had already been threatened once, and he had no idea how violent or volatile Castiel really was. Not to mention he did have questions that needed answers, and likely soon. Reluctantly he set down his fork.

“Can I see my family?”

The alpha did not seem at all surprised by the question.

“Of course, Dean. You may see them tonight, and say your goodbyes tomorrow morning before we leave.”

“Wait, tomorrow? We’re leaving tomorrow?” He couldn't hide the alarm in his voice.

“At dawn. We’ve stayed here long enough during your heat. My men and horses are restless, and I must admit I’ve grown tired of the quaintness of the country.”

Dean gaped, disbelief at how quickly this was happening clouding his mind.

“Uriel wanted to leave today, but I thought it might be too overwhelming for you. Still, the sooner we go the better. A clean separation from your old life will be best for your adjustment to your new role.”

The man refilled Dean’s wine goblet, the omega resisting the urge to knock it away. Instead he chugged it down in two gulps, placing it back on the table with a huff.

“And what, exactly, is my new role?”

“As my mate, of course. You are now the omega consort to third in line for the throne. There are responsibilities involved, and you will have much in the way of society and breeding to learn. But Michael has already arranged for a tutor, and you will be trained to work out your more…rough edges.”

Dean gaped, the aftertaste of the wine sour in his mouth. “And what, pray tell, will happen after you rid me of my peasant upbringing?”

If the man noticed his sarcastic tone, he didn’t show it. “Then you will take on your omega duties at the castle. Planning events, child rearing, the like.” He seemed to notice the way Dean’s face paled, because he reached across the table to grip his hand reassuringly.

“Don’t worry. I will wait until you've settled before breeding you. It will undoubtedly be difficult for someone with your upbringing at first, but you will adapt quickly with the advantages of everything the palace has to offer. I will make sure you want for nothing from now on, Dean.”

 _Except my family_ , he thought bitterly. Pulling his hand away, he preoccupied himself with his mostly empty plate, ignoring the expectant look on the alpha’s face and letting silence fall between them. The wine was sloshing warm in his stomach, a slowly growing sense of courage seeping through him. All of his anger and confusion, the utter feeling of helplessness at the hands of this alpha – so unconcerned about Dean’s desires or plans – had an itch creeping under his skin.

“What about Benny?” The alpha looked up in surprise, at the question or the fact Dean spoke he wasn't sure.

“Who?”

“My intended.”

A shadow passed across the alpha’s face, frown gracing his lips.

“You are not his intended anymore.”

“Technically we never called off the engagement.”

“You think this funny?”

“I think you’re avoiding my question.”

The alpha stared at him with narrowed eyes.

“He is none of your concern.”

“He’s none of my…I’ve known him since childhood. He was my best friend.”

“And now he is nothing to you.”

“You can’t just erase a lifelong connection!”

“I can and I did. The sooner you accept that the better. I’ve been very patient with you, but I will not tolerate you pining after another. You should show me some gratitude.”

Dean was momentarily shocked speechless, staring at the man across from incredulously.

“For _what_?”

“It is an honor to lose your virginity to a Novak, let alone to be claimed into the royal family. Most omegas would be thrilled to be in your position.”

Dean almost choked on air, disbelief only briefly delaying the rising anger inside of him.

“Thrilled to be in my position? I lost my virginity in front of everyone I know – to a complete stranger, no less – while my intended watched. I had a fiancé. I had a future I chose with a man I wanted to be with, and you ripped that away from me!”

At some point he had risen from his seat without realizing, only noticing now that the alpha rose to meet him, anger flashing behind his eyes. He stalked around the table, scent like lightning in the air; it sent a shiver down the omega's spine.

“I gave you a future a thousand times greater than anything that man could have provided.”

“What, your wealth and status? I want none of it. You cannot buy my affection; Benny knew that. He _earned_ it.”

“And I suppose now he will always be a saint in your eyes since I dragged you away before you realized how wrong he was for you.” The bitterness in the man's tone was simultaneously derisive, fury radiating off of him in waves. 

“You don’t know anything about him. Hell, you don’t know anything about me!”

“I know that man didn’t deserve to lay a finger on you.” The words were growled out, eyes narrowed as they stared piercingly at Dean, as if the very thought of Benny touching him enraged him.

“It was my choice whether he did or not. And I would’ve chosen him again and again if you hadn’t taken that from me.”

“And yet you weren’t so concerned about him when you were begging for my knot.”

The words were like a slap in the face, the pleasant buzz flowing through his veins knocked away. Shame blossomed inside of him as memories of the past week flashed through his head. So it was going to be like this, huh?

“Of course, ‘cause I’m just a knot-whore, right?” The alpha almost looked regretful, opening his mouth as if to say something, but Dean didn't want to hear it.

“I may have been begging for the closest knot around, but if given a choice I would’ve begged for his - twice as large and doubly satisfying.”

And just like that the rage returned to the alpha’s eyes, knuckles white as he clenched his fists.

“You were a virgin when I claimed you. I felt it as I breached your maidenhead.”

“There are other ways to please a lover.”

Perhaps it was the wine, or maybe Dean’s stupid lack of self-preservation that made him say it, but the next thing he knew he was being slammed over the table, the clatter of dishes being shoved to the floor echoing in his ears.

“No one may touch you but me.” The words were snarled in his ear before his trousers were shoved down, a hand on his back keeping him pinned in place. Bent over with his ass exposed he struggled to escape, letting out a pained gasp as the man suddenly shoved two fingers into him. The stretching was quick and perfunctory, just enough to make sure he wouldn’t tear. It did little to ease the pain as the man’s cock suddenly breached him.

“You need to be reminded of your place.”

He immediately began to fuck into the omega, hand still holding him down while the other gripped bruisingly at his hip. It hurt, the friction burning without any slick to ease the man’s way. The omega let out pained moans as the alpha roughly fucked him.

“You belong to me.”

The bruising slap of skin on skin echoed obscenely in the hut, joined by the rattling of the table. Every slam of the alpha’s hips a claiming, every stab of the cock inside of him marking him from the inside.

“I knew from the moment I saw you.”

Flashbacks of his deflowering burst through his head, the familiar cock pummeling his cunt as the alpha grunted out his pleasure.

“And when I saw you with that other alpha, who dared to touch _my mate_ ,”

The man purposefully adjusted his angle at that, stabbing straight into that pleasure spot with every thrust. Suddenly the pain intermingled with a sickening pleasure, only building as the alpha continued to plow him into the table.

“I took you. And I fucked you. And I claimed you.”

He leaned forward to lick a stripe across the mating bite, causing the omega’s cunt to spasm in pleasure, whole body shivering in delight.

“Because you are mine to take.”

Harder thrusts.

“Mine to fuck.”

Deeper.

“Mine to claim.”

A rough grind that had the omega’s pussy clamping down on the cock inside him.

“Every part of you, everything you have, it belongs to me.”

He made a point to slap his ass at that, hand returning to grip and knead his right cheek as he continued to plow into him.

“Who does this pussy belong to?" He gave a few harsh thrusts, making the omega see stars. "Who? Say it."

"You. B'longs to you." He bit out, hardly able to think as the man's cock pulverized his cunt.

The alpha's knot began to inflate at that, tugging on the omega’s sore cunt walls. Dean found a whine ripping from his throat at the pain, even while the tingling in his gut was spreading in larger waves.

“You love it,”

The man wasn’t wrong, Dean shuddering in pleasure even as tears began to leak from his eyes.

“Because your body knows, even if you resist,”

The thrusts had turned to rapid rutting, the omega sure the prince was bruising his insides in his conquest.

“That you. Are. _Mine_.”

Dean cried out as the knot locked inside him, cunt immediately spasming and massaging the alpha’s cock as the man leaned forward and reopened his mating bite. He wailed as an orgasm was ripped from him, his cock shooting come all over the chief’s floor. Laying limp on the table afterwards he sniffled pathetically. His body was sore, his cunt ached, and worse yet he felt eminently satisfied. A voice in the back of his mind whispered that this is what it meant to be fucked into submission.

“You will clean yourself off when my knot deflates. You will then have an hour with your family. Consider it a gesture of my magnanimous good will.”

The man ground into him, hands roaming possessively over his body. What felt like hours, though was likely only a matter of minutes, trickled by. The hands eventually turned soothing and Dean sighed, the mixture of wine and the prince’s changing moods leaving him feeling off-kilter.

“I don’t want to have to punish you, Dean. I’d much rather spoil you.” The omega wanted to snort at that, the man’s haughty words from earlier flashing through his mind. “I want you to be happy. Want to _make_ you happy. I’ve thought long and hard about the pull I feel towards you, and the only explanation I can come up with is that we’re true mates. Meant to be.”

Though he was too tired to object, Dean immediately dismissed the idea. True mates weren’t real, just an old wive's tail, and even if they were his certainly wasn’t Castiel. Still, the idea niggled at the back of his mind, his satisfaction at the man’s touch, his scent, making him wonder. He quickly pushed the thoughts away, unwilling to examine them at the moment.

“So even though you’re upset right now, you’ll come around.”

The alpha paused, waiting for Dean to respond, but was only met with silence. He waited another moment before sighing, then continued to rub and soothe the omega’s body.

“I can wait.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the feedback, support, and interest in this story - it means a lot. Hopefully you enjoy the next installment!

Dean had gotten the hour with his family – under the watchful gaze of prince Castiel, of course. He spent most of it reassuring his brother, telling him of course this wasn’t goodbye, that they would write each other. He had to sneak a furtive glance at the prince to confirm his words were true, relieved to see a small nod from the alpha. Eventually Sam seemed to believe him, switching from concerned little brother to know-it-all sharing everything he’d ever read about the Novak palace. Dean knew his brother was just trying to help, but it seemed useless when he’d learn it all firsthand soon enough. The prince however appeared surprised by the younger alpha’s knowledge, stepping forward to inquire about where he’d gotten his information. Sam was the smartest person in their village as far as Dean was concerned, and he was more than a little proud as his brother explained how he taught himself through books he’d received from travelers.

Nevertheless, Dean took the distraction as an opportunity to focus on his parents, turning to his father first; he was disappointed to only receive a speech about bringing honor to the Winchester name by being an obedient omega. His mother, on the other hand, took him aside to whisper hurried advice on topics ranging from mated life to child birth – more of a survival guide than anything. Dean nodded gratefully throughout, glad she was being more practical than his father. By the time his hour was over he missed them more strongly than before, knowing tomorrow was the last time he’d see them.

He got his ten minutes in the morning, murmuring hasty tear-stained goodbyes to his family as Castiel watched on. Soon, way too soon, he was ushered into the caravan where he’d been kept in captivity since. Now, on the last day of their journey, he was relieved to be arriving soon. The travelling had been hard, the omega resigned to the caravan for protection and unable to get fresh air or stretch his legs. He would be let out for a midday meal, and when they made camp for the evening he would usually have a brief amount of time outside before he was confined to the prince’s tent. It had been a huge relief when the man had not touched him that first night after his rough dominance display. But Dean was not so lucky for long, the next night his husband’s hands roaming before raising his leg and mounting him from their spooning position. Dean put up no resistance, having learned his lesson that day in the chief’s hut: his body was Castiel’s, to do with as he pleased.

That morning he woke up as he always did, laid on his side with the alpha pressed up against his back, arms wrapped around him possessively. Unlike other mornings, however, he felt something hard pressing against his ass. Dread flowed through him as realization struck - wasn’t having him each night enough? The alpha stirred, letting out a sleepy moan as he rutted against him. The omega thought about getting up and leaving the tent before the man awoke, but his plans were dashed when the prince tightened his grip around him, clearly now awake as he began to kiss and suck his neck. Great.

A finger, then two, trailed down to his cunt, leisurely fucking in and out of him until he began to produce slick. The alpha eventually rolled him on his back, immediately settling between Dean’s legs and claiming his mouth in a kiss. The omega never really kissed back, his mouth parting in a gasp as the prince breached him, still not used to the full sensation. The man took that opportunity to invade his mouth, tongue dominating along with his member. Dean was disappointed to find the prince was in no rush, the rolling of his hips slow and unhurried as he found his pleasure in the omega.

He laid there limply as the man buried himself in his body, cock agonizingly slow at it pulled in and out of him. It felt more personal this way, the drag of skin on skin. Dean tried not to shudder at the swirl of the man’s hips, at the feeling of complete fullness when he was settled balls deep inside of him. Eventually the alpha pulled away from the not-kiss, instead draping himself over Dean's body and resting his face in the omega's neck. Dean stared resolutely at the ceiling, his breath hitching as the prince ground into him.

Eventually the alpha began to speed up, Dean’s arms automatically flying up around his shoulders as he began to hit that spot inside of him. The omega hated that he had no control over what the prince did with him, hated that he had no control over how his body enjoyed it. An image of Benny flashed into his mind just as the alpha thrust incredibly deep, drawing a moan from the omega. The prince smiled at the sound, pressing a lazy kiss into his neck. He made sure to repeat the motion, drawing out more soft noises. Dean hated him for it.

Still, he couldn’t deny the warmth spreading from his groin as the alpha had his way with him, everything in him responding to his mate. To the way he speared him open, his body yielding. To how deep the large member invaded him, staking a claim no other alpha had before. Dean was owned, and the worst part was how the alpha made him enjoy every minute of him showing it. He shivered in pleasure, knowing from the fire stoked within him that he was close.

It only took a few more thrusts and Dean was coming, cunt spasming around the cock that never slowed inside him. A moan ripped from his throat, nails scratching down the alpha’s back as ecstasy radiated through him. Once the waves of pleasure subsided his limbs dropped, limp, as he laid there and waited for the alpha to finish. The man seemed undeterred, continuing at the same pace as he buried himself in the omega.

“I love to watch you unravel beneath me.” The alpha whispered in his ear, moving to press a series of open mouthed kisses along his jaw and neck. Dean didn’t react, simply turning his head and staring at the wall of their tent. Eventually the prince began to speed up, hoisting up his legs to get a better angle. Dean grunted in surprise, the hard thrusts jarring to his oversensitive hole, but the alpha paid him no heed – his eyes were closed, too lost in his pleasure to take notice. Instead he gave three last punishing thrusts before coming in the omega, mercifully deciding not to knot him. Dean was relieved - he didn’t want to walk around with a sore ass all day, nor deal with all the come.

“Sorry love, but we don’t have time to wait around for my knot to go down.”

Dean resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Of course the alpha assumed he’d want his knot. Arrogant ass.

The man rose, stretching before padding over and grabbing clothes.

“If we want to make it to the palace before nightfall, we shouldn’t waste time with a bath. It will take too long for the water to heat up.” Dean frowned, ready to protest; he needed something to clean himself…down there. The other man had sown his seed in him. “Here, take this cloth and the wash bowl to clean yourself.”

The omega reluctantly rose, stopping to take the proffered rag before heading to the pitcher and bowl. He was relieved the alpha didn’t watch as he wet the cloth and awkwardly bent to clean himself. Fumbling with his inexperience, he took probably what was a little longer than necessary to finish. He straightened up, only to find the alpha dressed and watching him with that hawk-like gaze.

“Was that sufficient? Or shall I have a bath drawn after all?”

Mouth set in a frown and brows drawn, the man’s face conveyed a serious offer. Dean shifted awkwardly before putting down the cloth.

“I think I’m good.”

The alpha gave a short nod.

“Then you should get dressed. Wear the white tunic with gold leafing. We will leave within the hour.”

The man swiftly left the tent, leaving Dean to finish alone. The omega relished the privacy, taking his time as he put on the clothes the prince had directed. The white and gold was traditional for a newly mated omega being brought to an alpha's home, something about omega eyes and purity. His parents told him long ago, but Dean hadn’t bothered to remember – after all, Benny hadn’t cared what he wore.

The omega had been thinking about his ex-fiance a lot while on the road – it’s not like he had much to distract himself with, and well…he’d thought the alpha would at least find some way to say goodbye. But prince Castiel hadn’t let him out of sight the entire time they were in his village, and never once were they without a handful of guards. If he’d at least seen the alpha, he’d be reassured the man was alive. As it was, he had no clue. He didn’t dare ask the prince again, hadn’t even worked up the nerve to whisper the question to his mother while the man was distracted with Sam. The guards watched him a little too closely, he'd noticed.

The uncertainty plagued him, but he had a feeling Benny was still alive. There was no real reason to kill him, the prince had claimed him and was vastly more powerful. Not to mention the man hadn’t taunted him with Benny’s death during their fight after his heat ended. Then again, he could have ordered him killed after their altercation in a fit of jealousy; somehow he didn’t think so though. The prince seemed satisfied he'd cowed Dean into submission.

Well, that’s what he’d let him think for now. The man may be able to dominate his body, but he couldn't conquer his mind. Dean would never fully submit to him - in fact, he'd give as much hell as he received. The prince was in for an unpleasant surprise if he thought mated life would consist of an obedient omega eager to please him.

Eventually realizing he’d stayed in the tent too long, Dean made his way outside only to be immediately guided to the prince’s side for breakfast. The omega gingerly sat down, taking the provisions offered to him by a guard and slowly digging in as the prince finished his meal.

“You must be relieved our journey is ending. Such travel is difficult.”

‘For an omega’ was left out, but Dean heard it all the same.

“It makes no difference to me.” He said tonelessly. The prince wasn’t about to hear how relieved he was. Not when the man was the one who dragged him on this journey in the first place.

“Your village life could not have been so devoid of comfort you are unaffected by the ills of travel.”

He simply shrugged, picking at his food. Usually he woke ravenous, but after their activities this morning he wasn’t all that hungry. He shifted, wincing in discomfort. The prince noted it with a frown, turning away before changing the subject.

“I cannot wait to show you the palace. The luxury that awaits you there. No more living in huts and on furs.” The prince glanced around before placing a hand on his thigh, leaning closer to whisper in his ear. “I cannot wait to take you in the comfort of our bed.” A chill ran up the omega’s spine, some mangled combination of disgust and anticipation. Stupid, traitorous body. The alpha leaned back with a smirk, returning to the last of his food. Dean stared at the biscuit in his hand before slowly placing it down. A few moments passed before the prince looked back at him, frowning at his stillness.

“Are you well? You’ve hardly touched your food.”

“Guess I’m just not hungry.” He pushed away the rest of the food, knowing he’d regret it later. He’d thought with nothing to do in the caravan he’d conserve energy, but he mostly found himself noticing his hunger sooner. “I’m sure that pleases you.”

It was directed at a comment the prince made the second day of their journey. Perhaps Dean was being silly, but the memory kept gnawing at the back of his mind.

_‘Do you often eat this much?’ the omega had paused, looking down at his food in confusion. At his lack of response, the alpha soldiered on. ‘At first I thought your appetite was a result of the energy depletion from your heat. But if this is how you regularly eat, it would explain your bulkiness. We will have to monitor your food intake and make any appropriate reductions.’ Dean was speechless, ears turning red in mortification._

The alpha’s head tipped to the side in confusion.

“I don’t wish for you to starve.” The sincerity in his voice was baffling. Was he being purposefully obtuse? Dean fumbled his way up, not bothering to respond. “Did I excuse you, omega?” The prince’s voice was sharp, apparently done entertaining Dean’s silences. The omega froze, internally debating whether this was an issue he wanted to push. He decided against it with a sigh.

“You are done eating. I am done eating. What reason is there to stay? You did want to leave within the hour, did you not?”

Perhaps it was the weariness with which he said it, but the alpha only gave him a scrutinizing stare before similarly standing.

“Bartholomew,” he barked, and a guard quickly appeared in front of him. “Guide Dean to the caravan. Assure he is equipped with a sack of water, bread, some dried meat, and an apple.” The man turned to the omega. “We will not be stopping again until we reach the palace. You may eat in the caravan if you become hungry.” Dean blinked in surprise, motionless as the guard began to gather the prince’s outlined provisions. Task completed, he walked past the omega.

“This way, m’lord.”

Dean gave one last glance at the prince before following, wordlessly walking through the camp to the caravan. The guard opened it with little fanfare, and Dean quickly moved to get in, knowing the routine by now. Unexpectedly, he felt the guard’s hand on his ass; assuming at first it was an accident, perhaps the man trying to help him in, he was surprised when it began to squeeze and grope at him. The omega whirled around, eyes widened as he let out a 'hey!' in protest. The guard didn't even look ashamed, instead giving a lascivious grin before tossing the provisions at him and quickly closing the door before the omega could react further.

Dean slowly sat down in the relative darkness, his mind unable to wrap around what just happened. Sure, the guards sometimes leered at him when the prince wasn’t looking, but to actually touch him? He briefly considered telling prince Castiel, but realized he would probably be blamed. The royals were notoriously conservative, particularly in their view of omegas – and good omegas were chaste and pure, never attracting unwanted attention. No, better keep it to himself lest he be accused of attempting to seduce the guards. He shivered, noting he needed to be more vigilant, especially around this Bartholomew. At least it looked like he could take him in a fight.

Crawling over to the makeshift nest he’d assembled over the journey, he settled amongst the furs and blankets. It wasn’t exactly comfortable, especially not when they were moving and the caravan jolted over bumps in the path. But he didn’t have a choice, so he simply curled up, hoping he might be able to will himself to sleep.

Soon he heard the familiar call of Castiel’s chief guard, signaling they were about to head out. Only a few moments later he felt the caravan lurch into motion, and he resolved himself to the boring ride he’d been subjected to all week. Letting the hours drift by, he opened his sack of food when the sun seemed high in the sky. He’d regained a bit of his hunger, and well…it was at least something to do.

More hours passed as he gazed out the window, occasionally tracing the shadows cast by the luggage in the caravan. Eventually he felt their party slowing down, and Dean felt curiosity get the better of him as he gingerly stood, holding the wall for support. Slowly making his way to one of the small windows, he leaned on his tiptoes, straining to see what was ahead of them. Out of the corner of his eye he could make out a large stone structure looming ahead, trellises and towers ominous in the fading daylight. This had to be it.

They’d arrived at the palace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well it's taken me awhile to shake myself out of a funk and actually finish writing something, but here it is. Mostly exposition but I hope you enjoy anyway. All mistakes are my own.

Dean hadn’t been sure what to expect.

The one recurring thought he had as he was guided out of the caravan and stood before the palace was that it was huge. Massive, really. His village had only huts, wooden structures that were sturdy but could hold at best a few people at a time. This castle—fortress, whatever you would call it—could contain hundreds.

He barely had time to wonder how long it had taken to be built when the prince was suddenly beside him, placing a hand on his lower back and ushering him forward.

“I sent Samandriel ahead to alert the castle of our arrival. My mother will most likely be waiting to greet us in the hall.”

“Great.” He’d said distractedly, barely remembering to put sarcasm in his voice as he scrambled to take in everything around him. Yet he’d barely gotten a glimpse of the grounds or towering walls before his vision was cut off by a stone archway, the next thing he knew massive wooden doors opening before him to reveal an entrance hall. His breath caught in his throat at the high arched ceilings, evening light shining in through ornate glass windows. It was grand enough that he almost missed the group of women standing at the other end of the room.

“Castiel. How good to have you back.”

They walked forward, a woman who must be the queen regent—for she was dressed in much finer attire than anyone else around her—flanked by several others on each side. Lady Naomi was taller than Dean had expected, hair pulled back tightly in an elaborate bun and stride confident. As she stopped in front of them the omega tried not to shrink back, her presence somehow oppressively imposing. Thankfully she hadn’t even looked at him.

“Thank you, mother. It is good to be home.”

“How was the journey?”

“Smooth. The weather favored us and we made excellent time.”

“As I can see. That is fortunate, given your abrupt need to return.” Her tone was light, words seemingly neutral, but Dean sensed something akin to disapproval behind them. “Well, let me see this new mate you’ve brought back with you.”

“Of course. Mother, may I present to you Dean, formerly of the Winchesters in Lawrence.”

He took a step back, either oblivious to or choosing to ignore the undercurrent of distaste she'd let slip through. Suddenly feeling quite exposed, Dean tried to stand tall as the woman’s eyes fixed on him, raking over his body with intense focus. Suddenly he felt he knew were Castiel’s hawkish gaze came from.

“Well, he certainly has a pretty face.”

She began circling around him, the movement predatory.

“His legs are crooked.”

“He is a bit bow-legged. I find it endearing.”

The omega fumed silently as they talked about him as if he wasn’t there, grinding his teeth as he tried to hide his frustration. He knew the royals were conservative, expected something like this, really. That didn’t make it any less humiliating.

“And his height?”

“He’s a bit tall.”

“A bit? He’s as tall as you, if not taller. How will that look in court?”

“Scandalous. Gods willing, no one will faint from the impropriety of it.”

His indignation was momentarily eclipsed by his surprise at the dry derision in the alpha’s voice. Thus far he and Lady Naomi had been rigidly formal with the other, overly polite in a sanitized way he assumed was normal for the royals. The sudden contrast was jarring, and Dean half expected a reprimand from the seemingly austere woman. Instead she continued circling in silence, only stopping when she came to his left side. Without warning she grabbed his wrist, pulling his hand up for closer inspection. He automatically tried to pull back, forcing himself to relax when she tightened her grip and held steady. A snarl was curling at the back of his throat, barely held back as she scrutinized the callouses and faded scars marring his hand.

“Where did you get these scars, omega?”

“Hunting,” he answered curtly, trying to keep the ire out of his voice. The response made her eyebrows rise, disbelief evident in her tight-lipped frown.

“Hunting?”

“That’s what I said.”

“Your village let an omega hunt?”

“Everyone in my village hunts. It’s kind of essential for, you know, survival.”

He’d been unable to hold back the flippancy in his voice, but felt himself shrink back at the look she gave him—as if he were a bug she wanted to crush. She let go of his wrist, stepping back and looking over at Castiel.

“Where did you say he was from, again?”

“Lawrence. It's in the north, near Lebanon.”

“The outerlands,” she said, as if that confirmed something she’d expected. “It certainly explains his poor manners and appearance. Did you have to pick one so wild and…bulky?”

Dean tried not to bristle, knowing his ‘bulkiness’ was mostly muscle – a result of having to survive on the outskirts of the kingdom. If she’d expected some meek little half-starved omega, she was sorely disappointed.

“All things that can be improved, are they not?”

“Yes, well. I’ll certainly have my work cut out for me. Jessica?”

One of the younger girls stepped forward, and Dean felt a wave of relief at the sign his inspection was over.

“Yes, my lady?”

“Go to the kitchens and tell Ms. Harvelle we will require a special diet for our new addition. The one Lady Hester did last summer should do.”

“At once, my lady.”

“Excellent. Castiel, the welcome feast I commissioned for your return should be ready soon, if not already. We may head over now if you are hungry.”

“That sounds favorable. It has been a long day, I’m sure we could both use some sustenance and then an early retirement.”

“Of course. Let us go, then.”

She turned without further ado, her maidens following suit and hurrying along behind her. Dean followed warily as they took off through various corridors, trying to remember the twists and turns of their path as best he could. Eventually they stopped in front of another large set of double doors which were opened to reveal an even bigger hall than before. The ceilings shared similar high arches, but this one had ornate molding along them. The remains of natural light filtered through giant windows, though most of the room was lit up by candles situated in large iron chandeliers. Banners featuring the royal crest lined the the walls, leading down to the floor which was covered in long tables set in a series of rows. At the end was a raised table, carved with intricate designs of foliage and animals. The extravagance was almost too much to take in at once.

The others had already begun to move forward, so Dean belatedly rushed to keep up. He followed to the table at the front, sitting in the seat indicated by Castiel. He didn’t have long to look around and take note of others at the lower tables in the room before an array of servants were bringing out food.

Dean gaped.

It was more food than he’d seen in his entire life, giant plates overflowing with meat, potatoes and vegetables piled high. Despite himself the smell had hunger rumbling in his stomach, and he tried not to look too eager as he watched everything be placed on the table. Once everything was in place those at the table began grabbing food and piling it on their plates, and Dean wasted only a moment before following suit. He was reaching for a chicken leg when he heard tittering from his left.

“Not you, omega.” From the other side of Castiel came the voice of Lady Naomi, harsh and commanding. Dean was about to protest, but suddenly the girl from earlier reappeared.

“Here you are, sir.” She placed a bowl before him with an apologetic smile, which Dean immediately understood when he looked down.

In front of him was a single bowl of soup—broth, really, since there didn’t appear to be any vegetables or meat in it. Staring for a few more moments, he eventually picked up the spoon that accompanied it and took a tentative sip. It tasted vaguely of potatoes and carrots, maybe the slightest hint of poultry and spice, but to say it was anything but bland would be kind. He found himself staring down at the bowl, listening absently to the sound of others eating around him. Eventually Castiel glanced over, pausing to give him a curious look. Before he had the chance to open his mouth and question what was wrong, Dean cut him off.

“So this is the amazing food you insisted was so much better than my village’s, huh?”

The man didn’t respond, and if Dean didn’t know any better he’d say there was a flash of guilt behind his eyes. Whatever it was was quickly brushed away, the man’s usual mask of solemnity back in place.

“Eat, Dean. It’s been a long day. You need sustenance.”

“Why? I’ll lose my ‘bulkiness’ faster with nothing.”

He reached forward to grab a sack of wine, filling a nearby goblet to the rim and gulping it down quickly. It was probably more sustenance than what they gave him for supper, he thought with a snort. Once it was empty he grabbed the sack and filled it again, ignoring the disapproving look of the alpha. He could fuck off as far as Dean was concerned; he was the reason he was stuck here, far from home and starving with nothing but a bowl of broth while everyone around him feasted. He relished the rush of dizziness as he hurriedly swallowed down another glass, letting it dampen the tumultuous emotions curling angrily in his stomach. It wasn’t until he reached for a third glass that he felt a hand around his wrist, and watched in disappointment as the prince ordered a servant to move the wine away. Well. There goes any chance of him enjoying the evening.

When supper finally ended Castiel told him they would retire to their chambers, and he was passed off to a group of handmaidens who led him through various corridors and winding staircases until they eventually reached a bathing room. He'd expected to be brought a bath and left alone like he’d been on the trip back, but was in for a rude surprise. The handmaidens were insistent about staying, ushering him into the basin of steaming water and beginning to scrub and clean him themselves despite his protests. They were surprisingly strong, and used a variety of flowery soaps and oils that had Dean’s nose tingling. He wasn’t interested in this over-feminized omega bullshit, but it seemed he wasn’t going to have a choice in the matter. When they were done they’d yanked him out, toweled him quickly and then dressed him in a sheer nightgown. The next thing he new he was being ushered into a bedroom, a fire quickly started in the grate and then the line of women departing with a bow.

He looked down at himself, feeling ridiculous enough in the thin garment that he half considered foregoing it entirely. Still, any protection against the roaming eyes of his now husband was welcome, and he found himself instead approaching the fire to combat the chill of the room. Turning to survey his surroundings, he noted a few somewhat large windows lining one wall, a rich dark wood wardrobe another. There was a desk and a few side tables, littered with books and other small trinkets. Most prominently though was a large bed against the back wall directly across from the fireplace, the wood frame featuring a canopy over what looked like a thick quilt, furs resting at the foot of the bed. It had the stale smell of alpha, his alpha, and he found his stomach turning as he thought of having to spend the rest of his life sleeping in this room with Castiel.

He turned back to the fire, hoping to absorb some of it’s warmth, when the alpha strode into the room. Noting the omega, he paused, head cocked to the side.

“Are you cold?” he asked, striding across the room and removing his robe before wrapping it around the omega’s shoulder. Dean wished it ended there, but the man plastered himself against his back and wrapped his arms around him. It felt cozy, a little too much like being wrapped up in Benny’s arms, and he couldn’t hold back a shudder when the other man placed a gentle kiss on the back of his neck. Fortunately he seemed to take it as a result of being cold, instead wrapping his arms around him tighter.

“I apologize. They are still working on a wardrobe for you, and have yet to make a robe. The palace tends to get chilly at night.”

“Well, it wouldn’t be so bad if they gave me sleep clothes a bit more substantial.”

“I like you in this.”

“Well if you like me in this who cares what I, the person wearing it, feels.”

There was no response, and Dean imagined he could feel the frown that likely stretched across the man’s face.

“Mother has informed me that you will meet your handmaiden tomorrow morning. She will be dedicated solely to you, to make sure you are comfortable and have everything you need. Of course, in her absence you may make requests to any of the staff and they shall help you.”

“Do you think she could get me some sleep pants?”

“You will also be starting your lessons in the morning. Your afternoons will be free to spend as you please. I believe etiquette is what you will be starting with.”

“So I don’t offend everyone with my barbaric ways? That must be such a relief for you.”

“Only when you act like this.”

Well. At least he knew he was succeeding in annoying the man.

They stood there in silence a bit longer, Dean letting his mind wander as he stared into the flames. Eventually the alpha sighed, pecking a trail along his neck until playfully nipping at his ear.

“Come now. Let us get to bed. You have a busy day tomorrow and need your rest.”

Like the man wanted him in bed so he could rest.

Relieved at the chance to get out of the man’s arms for however short a time, he shuffled over to the bed, struggling a bit to pull back all the blankets. Slipping in, he marveled at just how incredibly soft it was. They didn’t have anything like it back at his village, hay stuffed mattresses the highest quality available. He didn’t know what was in this, but it felt like laying on a cloud.

He barely held back a moan as he stretched out, letting himself sink into the mattress. He closed his eyes, barely aware of the alpha slipping in next to him. There was a brief moment of silence, prompting the omega to crack open an eye. The prince was propped up on his side, facing the omega with a knowing smile on his face.

“You like the bed.”

Dean opened both eyes, glancing at the man before looking up at the ceiling.

“It’s alright.”

“Hmm.”

The man was suddenly looming over him, arms boxing him in as he straddled him.

“Why do you insist on being so difficult?”

“I can’t imagine what you mean.”

The man leaned down, pressing a kiss against his jaw.

“Like this bed. You clearly enjoy it. Why deny it?”

“It’s just a bed. Nothing that great.”

He switched over, placing a second kiss on his left side before moving up to his temple.

“Or our lovemaking.”

A hand trailed down, grazing against his soft member before tracing along his slit.

“Is that what you’re calling it?”

“You clearly respond to my touch. You’re brought to completion every time. Your body speaks louder than your words. So why do you deny it?”

He moved to his neck, kissing along it as he hiked up the nightgown. Dean had a million things he wanted to say to that hot on the tip of his tongue, but he could already sense the alpha wanted to drag this out, and arguing would only make it last longer. It had indeed been a long day, and the lack of food contributed to the heavy fatigue which was beginning to grip him. As much as he wanted to fight, he knew he needed to pick his battles.

Pushing the alpha away slightly, he turned himself over, getting his knees under him.

“Then why don’t you get to it.”

If the man noticed the exasperation in his voice he didn’t say anything. Instead there was a long pause, and Dean was almost afraid he had offended the man enough to warrant some sort of punishment when he felt a hand at his hip. Then the prince was pulling the omega towards him as he released himself, slowly breaching the man beneath him. While his hips began to thrust forward, his words echoed in the omega’s head, the shame Dean had felt since his claiming mixing with his lingering hunger to gnaw at his stomach. He buried his face in the pillow, arms gripping it tightly as the prince fucked him, waiting for it to be over. Eventually the thrusting grew faster and the man came, knot locking in place as he collapsed on top of him. Collecting himself, he wrapped the omega in his arms, adjusting them so they were on their sides. Dean felt a hollow sense of victory at the fact he hadn’t come that time, coupled with vindication at the prince not noticing. And yet, laying there in the dark, the prince’s knot locked inside him in this soft, soft bed, he’d never felt more like a pet.

* * *

Morning came too soon, the sun shining through the windows as Dean shifted in the bed. Belatedly he realized he was alone, an empty space where the alpha had slept greeting him. Before he could even consider where he went the man was re-entering the room, fully dressed.

“Ah good, you’re awake. Unfortunately I have business I must attend to. I will send your handmaiden in so she can help prepare you for the day.”

He left without waiting for a response, leaving the omega feeling more and more like the prince’s personal whore. Good for a fuck and then left for someone else to deal with.

Dean pushed the thoughts out of his mind, groggily sitting up in bed. If this handmaiden was going to be here soon, he figured he should make himself presentable at least. Just as he moved to get out of bed, the door to their chamber opened once more and a girl who appeared to be about his age entered. The omega balked, swiftly pulling up the blankets to cover himself better than the flimsy nightgown could. He was grateful he did, belatedly realizing the girl was carrying a tray of food towards him.

“Good morning, my lord. I have brought you breakfast, if it pleases you.”

She looked down as she spoke, face almost hidden by the flaming red hair that framed her face. Despite her proper sounding words, Dean could hear an accent unlike that of the central kingdom. She must’ve come to the palace later in life.

“Uh, thank you…I’m sorry, I don’t know your name.”

“Charlie, sir.”

She placed the tray in his lap, making sure it was firmly settled before stepping back and heading to the window to draw back the curtains and let in light. Dean squinted at the change, blearily looking down at the tray she’d placed in front of him. Looks like this morning he would be having a bowl of beige goop. Delightful.

“You know, I’m actually not that hungry Charlie.”

She paused, glancing at the tray of food with a sympathetic look before finishing the last window. Both chose to ignore the loud rumbling of his stomach.

“So, um, what does a handmaiden do, exactly?”

“Well, I tend to your needs – help you wash and dress, fetch anything you need, give you company if you desire it. I apologize, I would bring you something different to eat, but Lady Naomi was quite clear –“

“Yeah, yeah, I heard about her mission to turn me into a proper omega.”

She picked up the tray again, placing it on one of the tables off to the side. Dean gingerly stood, awkwardly covering himself as best he could. She merely smiled in response.

“No need for modesty, sir. Here, since you’re not interested in breakfast, why don’t I draw up a bath for you?” She moved swiftly to the other room, and Dean slowly followed. To his surprise there was already warm water waiting, which she began pouring into the tub.

“Um…do you want help with that, or…”

“No, sir. It’s my job.”

“Yeah…um, do you think you could stop with the ‘sirs’? You can call me Dean.”

“It would be terribly improper to address you with such familiarity around others,” she said, and Dean felt a familiar sinking feeling. She paused, turning to him with a sly smile. “But when we’re alone, sure, Dean.”

She continued pouring, walking back and forth as she filled the wash basin. Dean felt antsy, not used to just standing around while someone else did all the work, especially not when it was for his benefit, so he found himself trying to fill the silence.

“You know, I actually just took a bath last night.”

Smiling knowingly, she seemed to ruminate over his words before responding.

“Where I’m from, we don’t wash so frequently either. Too much work fetching the water and heating it up. It’s not such a hardship for the royalty, though.”

“But someone still has to do the work.”

“Aye, someone does it. But the royals can pay them for it.”

“Yeah, the royals are pretty self-indulgent,” he muttered bitterly, crossing his arms as he thought of Castiel.

“You’re a royal too now, you know,” she reminded him gently. Though he knew she didn’t mean it as a reprimand, he still felt chided, if nothing else due to the fact he was now lumped in with the group he’d quickly come to hate. Sensing his frustration, she tried to change the subject.

“Besides, I doubt you’d want to go without a wash after spending your first night here with your new husband.”

She waggled her eyebrows, looking pleased at the flush spreading across his face. He looked away, that familiar shame rising up his throat, and decided he was done talking for now.

Soon after though she finished pouring the water, stepping back and looking at him expectantly.

“Um, do you think you could maybe…” he gestured helplessly at the door, and she smiled again at him.

“If you insist.”

As soon as she was gone the omega breathed a sigh of relief, glad he would at least be able to bathe alone this time. Stepping over to the basin, he quickly disrobed and dropped into the water, admitting to himself that the warmth felt good on his sore muscles. Glancing to the side he noticed a selection of soaps, much larger than that presented on the journey back to the palace, and the omega couldn’t help rolling his eyes. This place reeked of excess. Eventually he found one with a smell that didn’t offend him, and he made quick work of cleaning himself; he didn’t know when he was expected for these ‘lessons,’ but he had a feeling he didn’t have all the time in the world. Once he was done he grabbed a towel and dried off, cursing himself for forgetting to bring clothes with him. Wrapping the towel around his waist he slowly poked his head out the door, only to find the girl—Charlie, he reminded himself—sorting through the wardrobe and pulling things out. When she noticed him she smiled and turned, bringing the clothing with her.

“I thought you might prefer trousers and a tunic.”

“Do I want to know what the other options were?”

“Probably not.”

There was a bit of mischief in her eyes, something that inexplicably reminded Dean of home. He felt himself marginally relax. Charlie seemed alright, if nothing else at least less stuffy then everyone else he’d met around here. Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“Come now. Get dressed so we can get you to your lessons on time. Lady Naomi and Lady Tessa will be waiting.”

Ah. So they apparently thought he would need two teachers for his etiquette lessons. A feeling of dread rose inside him at the thought of seeing Lady Naomi again, but he quickly swallowed it down. It was just etiquette lessons.

How hard could it be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I've been away so long, I was finishing up grad school and doing an eating disorder program at the same time so I didn't have much time to write. Hopefully this long chapter helps make up for it.

“Wrong. Straighten out your back and try again.”

Dean huffed in annoyance, barely holding back an eye roll as he once again repeated the ridiculous bow they’d been working on for the last twenty minutes. His first lesson was on proper greetings, and much to his chagrin that apparently involved more than just titles—there were certain topics off limits with certain nobility, rules about eye contact, and of course this stupid bow male omegas were expected to use. ‘A sign of respect,’ Lady Tessa had said, providing a cursory explanation of what was required of other designations. Dean had stopped listening less than halfway through.

The one relief in all this ridiculousness was the Lady Naomi had no intention of actually teaching him. Rather, she was merely to ‘oversee’ his progress, occasionally dropping in on the lessons and keeping in touch with his various tutors to ensure he was learning what she’d deemed essential. Lady Tessa wasn’t that bad, no nonsense when it came to the rules she was teaching him but otherwise at least sympathetic to his situation—endlessly patient, if still firm, and importantly to him, not condescending. It was the subject matter that frustrated the omega to no end.

“Like this?” he grumbled, repeating the fluid motion for what felt like the hundredth time. He was really starting to regret skipping both dinner and breakfast, a headache pounding insistently at the front of his skull. It certainly wasn’t helping his attempts at bowing.

“A bit stiff, but better. Let’s have you do it one more time to make sure it sticks. Then we can return to it tomorrow.”

Going through the motions one last time, he was relieved when she nodded in approval, walking back towards the table they’d been sitting at before.

“Alright then, that’s it for today. Do you have any questions?”

“Uh…no?”

“Very well. Please return here at the same time tomorrow, and we’ll continue on with the art of conversation. Jessica should be waiting outside with a midday meal, which you may eat here. Good day, my lord.”

She gave her own small curtsy before walking toward the door, leaving Dean alone with Charlie who’d been working on something silently in the corner. Sure enough the same blonde girl as before came in with a tray of food, placing it on the table before bowing and leaving as well. Walking closer he looked at what was given to him now, surprised at the sight of a few slivers of fish and fruit. While not what he would’ve chosen, it was still more substantial than the other food he’d been given. At the insistent growling of his stomach he sat in one of the chairs, wolfing down the food as if it might disappear. By the time Charlie walked over he had finished what was on the plate, stomach silenced for the moment but the effects of his hunger still weighing on him. Looking up he saw Charlie giving him a concerned frown, which he could only answer with a sheepish smile.

“So. What happens now?”

“It’s up to you. What would you like to do for the rest of the day?”

That was it? Nowhere else he was supposed to be, no other requirements of him? The freedom seemed strange after spending weeks under the prince’s watchful eye, but he supposed they weren’t too concerned about what he did with his time. He was just an omega, after all.

“Well…I guess I’d like to see the rest of this place. I didn’t really get a chance to look around yesterday.”

“I imagine not. In that case then, let me give you a tour! I know just where to start.” The mischievous smile was back, and Dean had no time to even question where they were going before she was gripping his wrist and pulling him along behind her.

They moved quickly, taking side corridors and narrow stairways as they descended lower and lower into the castle. Dean had a feeling they were trying to avoid running into other people, but he couldn’t be sure with Charlie’s insisting shushing whenever he tried to ask. Eventually they stopped at the end of a deserted hallway, at a pair of double doors which Charlie wasted no time pushing open. The omega was immediately assaulted by the smell of baking bread and spices, a few steps forward confirming that there were indeed a variety of people preparing food in the large room they’d entered.

“So this is the kitchen,” she said, pausing only a moment for Dean to get his bearings before pulling him along behind her, eyes scanning the various tables as if she were looking for something. Confusion rose inside him, wondering why Charlie would bring him here. The smells wafting in the air had his stomach rumbling again, and he belatedly wondered if this was some sort of cruel joke. Still, he followed as the beta quickly navigated the room, trying not to knock anything over in the process.

“And who do we have here?”

The girl came to a sudden stop, Dean barely avoiding running into her. Seeing Charlie turn he followed her gaze to the source of the voice, eyes settling upon a beta with short honey brown hair and hands on her hips.

“Ellen! This is prince Castiel’s new mate, Dean. I was just showing him around. Dean, this is Ellen, the head cook here.”

She eyed the both of them up and down, clearly not buying Charlie’s jumpy, high pitched explanation. Still, she went along with it.

“Dean, is it? Nice to meet you.” She wiped her hands on a nearby rag, and Dean felt relieved that she hadn’t bowed or used other formalities. He was already sick of them.

“You’ve caused quite a stir, you know—the commoner who managed to mate a prince. Where exactly are you from, boy?” She grabbed a ball of dough and began kneading it on the counter, even as she kept a watchful eye on them.

“Lawrence, ma’am. At the northern edge of the kingdom.”

“The outerlands, huh? You must’ve been pretty tough to survive up there.”

He shrugged, not sure where her line of thinking was going. “I guess.”

She nodded, flipping over the dough.

“I’d hold onto that toughness. It’s gonna be a rough adjustment, and some of the people ‘round here aren’t gonna give you the respect you deserve at first. But you just hang in there, things will get better. You’re welcome here if you ever need a break from it all.”

He swallowed, not sure why he felt a sudden constriction in his chest. Throughout everything that had happened he’d been told a lot of things by a lot of people—advice, judgments, warnings. And yet, this was the first time anyone had told him that things were going to be okay, and he was surprised by how much he needed to hear it. She seemed to understand, giving him a moment to get himself together before continuing.

 “You do any hunting up in the outerlands, Dean?”

“Yes ma’am. Was one of the best in my village.”

She smiled at the pride in his voice.

“I have a daughter about your age, Jo. She’s determined to make it onto the king’s hunting party like her father. Maybe you could teach her a thing or two. She’s probably out back practicing her archery if you want to stop by sometime.”

“Sure, that actually sounds great.” It felt good for someone to act like he had something to contribute, valuing his past experiences instead of trying to mold him into what they wanted.

“Good, if she stops by here I’ll tell her to look out for you.”

She turned around, abandoning the dough to chop some vegetables on the counter behind her. Dean glanced at Charlie, feeling like that was their cue to leave, but before they could move Ellen spoke up again.

"And don't you two go snatching up those meat pies by the oven on your way out, or that cheese stored under the third table to your left. Lady Naomi would skin my hide if she thought I was helping you break her diet." She continued chopping, giving a pointed look over her shoulder when they didn’t move. Dean and Charlie locked eyes, sparing only a moment before rushing to gather the named items. Ignoring the curious looks of the other kitchen workers, they piled food in their arms, gathering as much as they could carry before making a beeline for the exit. Only after they stepped through the door did Dean realize he had followed Charlie out a different exit, this one leading outside. The breeze was refreshing after the heat of the kitchen, ruffling through the line of trees directly in front of them. He absently realized this must be the royal forest, which he supposed was fitting—when the king’s hunters returned with their kills, it would be easy to bring them directly to the kitchen. He didn’t have long to mull over it though, rushing to keep up with Charlie as she beckoned him to follow. Weaving amongst the trees for only a few minutes or so, they eventually stopped at a small enclave.

"People probably won't see us here," she explained, sitting down and placing the cheese she grabbed on her long skirt. Dean plopped down next to her, dumping the meat pies with the cheese while keeping one for himself. Immediately he began to eat, savoring the flavors bursting over his tongue. Whatever he'd been getting must've been ordered to be bland, because Ellen was clearly an excellent cook. Finishing the first he immediately grabbed another, eating with equal gusto.

"Hey, slow down there captain. If you choke and die it's my hide they're gonna skin."

Suddenly feeling embarrassed at his behavior he slowed, smiling awkwardly as Charlie took a bite of her own.

"Sorry, I was just..."

"Hungry. I know."

The words were sympathetic, a look on her face suggesting she knew more than she was letting on. It shouldn't surprise him, really. So many guards saw what happened, and people talk. Nevertheless, the thought had shame whirling tumultuously through his body. Pushing it aside he finished his second pie before reaching for some cheese, trying to think of a change of topic.

"So Red, what's your story? You don't sound like you're from around here."

There was a rueful grin on her face at that, taking a bite of her pie before replying.

"Aye. I come from a port town on the southeast part of the kingdom. Too small for you to have heard of, we weren’t a place for merchants. Mostly farmed and raised sheep."

The omega nodded, even though he’d never seen a sheep before in his life.

"So how did you end up here?"

"Well, the war with Hell was still going on. One of Michael's brigades was camped outside our town, would come in to commandeer things or just talk to the locals, the usual. You gotta understand it wasn’t that clear we would win at the time. A lot of espionage, you know? Well, one day I'm visiting my friend Jackson, whose father was highly regarded in the community. Old money, or at least what passed for it back there. And there were these two officers at his house, apparently hoping Jackson’s father could help them. Since we were too young to be a bother, they let us hang around playing checkers while they started talking.” She paused, lips twitching into a smile. “They were trying to decipher a code so they could intercept messages from Hell. And me, being the nosy person I am, well, I listened in. And as I'm listening I start putting pieces together, slowly working it out as they kept talking and talking. So when they started complaining about a phrase that was messing up their whole theory for like the tenth time, I piped up with the solution."

Dean's eyes widened, which made Charlie give a small chuckle.

"You should've seen their faces. Some nobody teenage beta, suddenly doing in an afternoon what three grown alpha’s couldn’t accomplish in weeks. Looking back, I'm lucky they didn't accuse me of treason then and there."

"What happened, then?"

"One of the officers told me to shut it, but the other wanted to know where I’d heard that, how did I know, and so forth. So I told them what I’d overheard and how I made the connections. And the guy asks me to look at more, so I start decoding the rest of the message, and suddenly they both can't believe it. They run and tell their general, Roman, who immediately puts me to work for him when he sees what I can do, so that when their brigade was to move on...”

"They took you with them."

"Yep. I thought it would only be for the war, but then they brought me to Michael, told him what I could do. He decided a master decoder was too valuable to let go of. So he brought me here, giving me a job as a handmaiden while I'm on standby in case he needs my skills."

"Charlie, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. My parents were already dead, and my aunt and her husband couldn't really afford to support me anyway. Not to mention this is better than any other lowland job I would've gotten back home."

He wanted to argue with her, point out the injustice of just taking her for their own purposes, but he knew it hit a little too close to home for him to be objective. It was no wonder prince Castiel thought he could just claim him. Apparently it was a common practice amongst the royals.

That didn’t abate his disgust.

They sat in silence for a bit, both processing while finishing what was left of the food. Dean could already feel his energy returning, a sort of warmth he hadn’t realized his body had been lacking. He had a feeling it wasn’t just the food though. Sitting there in the forest, listening to the wildlife around him with Charlie by his side, was revitalizing in its own way.

"So if you're this big shot code breaker, why did they assign you to me full time?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, don't they have more important things they want to save you for?"

The beta shrugged, brushing the crumbs off her skirt.

"I guess not. Plus, prince Castiel specifically asked for me."

"What? Why?"

"My best guess is because I'm the only handmaiden here who isn't the child of a wealthy merchant from the central kingdom looking for a raise in status."

At his nonplussed look Charlie gave him a gentle punch to his shoulder.

"We're both from the country. I think he thought you'd be more comfortable with me."

The idea seemed farfetched to Dean—as if Castiel would give his wellbeing a minute of thought beyond the alpha’s own agenda. Perhaps Charlie was just overly optimistic. Either way, he'd bet his shoes there was another reason.

Seeing the consternation on his face Charlie got up, brushing herself off and holding out a hand.

"Why don't we go find Jo? I think you’ll like her."

They made their way back towards the palace, eventually deciding to search along its perimeter until they found her. It gave Dean a chance to really marvel at the building from the outside, feeling dwarfed by its sheer massiveness. Walking along he saw high walls and turrets, accented by large windows and carvings in the stone. As they rounded a curve another large door came into view, one which Dean assumed was a secondary entrance. Dread pooled in his stomach as he noted the two guards flanked on either side, the familiar face of Bartholomew laughing at something the other guard had said to him. The omega found himself speeding up, hoping they would pass by without the men noticing them. Unfortunately the alphas’ heads turned, and he saw a lecherous grin break out on Bartholemew’s face as he openly looked him up and down. Dean stared ahead, ignoring the man’s leering. He couldn’t help feeling relieved when they finally turned a corner.

Eventually they could hear soft thuds ahead, a girl with cascading blonde hair coming into view. The two of them approached quietly, not wanting to interrupt as the girl loaded another bow, aiming for a makeshift target on a tree. She pulled back, brow furrowed in concentration as she let go, only to huff in frustration when the arrow landed north of her target. The brief flare of annoyance scented the air, and Dean belatedly took in the spicy scent of alpha.

The girl gathered another arrow, preparing to load it into her bow when Dean spoke up.

“You need to rotate your elbow more. You’re not holding it quite straight.”

Her eyes widened slightly at the sound of his voice, apparently just realizing she wasn’t alone. Still, she didn’t seem surprised for long—rather, a challenging grin took its place.

“You know something about archery?”

“You could say that,” he shrugged, moving towards her. “I learned when I was twelve. Not my weapon of choice, but great for hunting.” He came up beside her, gesturing toward her arm. “May I?”

“Go ahead.” She seemed more curious than anything, watching him carefully but nevertheless standing in position.

“You need to keep your elbow rotated straight up, like this.” He reached over and adjusted her arm, surveying the rest of her pose. “You also need to pull back fully to your anchor point, here. And move your hook slightly, like this.” He stood behind her as he lined up her position, guiding her hands and arms until she was positioned properly. Finally he stepped back, giving her space to complete the shot.

“Try now.”

She released the arrow, and Dean was pleased to see it hit the target this time. The girl slowly lowered her arms, a smile spreading across her face. She turned, leaning into his space probably more than was proper.

“And why haven’t I seen you around here before?”

What would’ve previously prompted a flirtatious response instead had anxiety curling in Dean’s stomach, the thought of the prince somehow finding out and accusing him of flirting with other alphas now a danger he hadn’t had to deal with before. It made him freeze in response, searching for the right way to handle the situation when Charlie appeared at his side.

“This is Dean, prince Castiel’s new mate.” He could hear the emphasis she put on Castiel’s title, which appeared to have the desired effect as the girl’s eyes grew comically wide.

“Oh, I – I’m so sorry, I had no idea –“

“No, it’s fine, I should’ve introduced myself.”

“No, no, I should’ve realized –“

“I think we can all agree you got off on the wrong foot. Why don’t we start over. Dean, this is Jo. Jo, Dean.” Charlie’s voice was all business, clearly trying to move past the awkwardness. Jo still looked frazzled, so Dean foraged ahead.

“Your mom said you were training for the king’s hunting party?”

She seemed relieved at the change of topic, glad to take the out.

“Yeah, that’s the plan. My dad taught me a lot of the basics of knife work growing up, skinning and stripping meat, all that. But I’m pretty new with a bow. He was always afraid I’d accidentally hit someone when I was younger.”

“I guess you have a lot of people wandering around here.”

“Yeah, well it’s not doing me any favors now. I can barely hit the target standing, I don’t know how I’m going to learn to shoot from a moving horse.”

“A horse?”

“The king’s hunting party uses horses when they go on their hunts,” Charlie added helpfully.

“Doesn’t that scare away the animals?”

“It’s sort of a tradition. I think most are used to the horses by now.”

The omega nodded at Jo's explanation, not really seeing the sense of it but not wanting to press the subject.

“You have horses, then?”

“Not me, personally, but the royal family keeps stables on the grounds. With permission, we’re allowed to borrow one from time to time.”

Dean hadn’t seen many horses before, only a few at his village and mostly used for labor. Still, his father had taught him and Sam how to ride back when he thought Dean would be an alpha, an experience he remembered with fondness.

“We can go there next, if you’d like.” Charlie turned to Jo. “I’m showing him around the grounds.”

“Of course. Well, I can go with you if you’d like. I know the stables pretty well, and could tell you about the horses.”

“Sound good, Dean?”

“I'm in. Let’s go.”

* * *

Dean sighed as he glanced out the window of his new room, similar sleeping garment as before and a chill underneath his skin—whether from the cold or the thought of another night with his alpha he wasn’t sure.

The afternoon had been fun, conversation with Jo and Charlie easy in a way he didn’t think he’d find here. Between Charlie’s energy and Jo’s sharp remarks he felt lighter than he had in what seemed like ages, cracking a smile and even laughing without worrying about the consequences. He felt a strange mix of relief at the idea he wouldn’t be so alone after all, mixed with a surge of homesickness for the friends he’d left behind.

Of course the afternoon had to end, and Dean ended up sitting next to the prince as the rest of the royals feasted around him. He forced himself to eat some of the 'food' given to him so that no one would question how he was still functioning without eating, not wanting to get Ellen in trouble. Castiel tried to initiate conversation, ultimately giving up with a sigh when Dean gave only short answers. Soon enough though it was over, and the omega found himself led by Charlie back up to the room he and the alpha shared. It felt too early to be cooped up like this, but he supposed the royals had expectations about what newly mated pairs should be doing. Still, that didn’t explain where the prince was.

Any speculations on the matter vanished when he heard the door open behind him, turning to see the alpha walk in carrying a bundle of fabric.

“I had your robe expedited, so you wouldn’t be cold.”

He held it out for Dean to take, which the omega did after only a moment’s hesitation.

“Thanks.” He mumbled, wrapping it around himself. At least now he didn’t feel so naked.

“Is the room to your liking?”

Dean blinked, caught off guard.

“Uh...yeah, looks good.”

Castiel frowned, focusing another penetrating stare at him.

“Would you like more tapestry for the walls?”

“The walls are...fine?”

“What about the bed? Do you need more blankets? Are there enough pillows?”

“Uh, the bed's fine too.”

He watched the alpha cautiously, not sure where this line of questioning was coming from. Eventually the prince looked away, glancing down at the fireplace before walking closer to Dean. To the omega’s surprise he gripped a hand between both of his, eyes intense as they flickered back up to meet Dean's gaze.

“I know the food is not ideal, but there are reasons behind my mother’s actions. I will not challenge them.” His hands squeezed tighter, “But I need you to understand that for everything else, anything else, I will ensure it is yours. I mean it. I want to take care of you, Dean. Give you everything you want and more.”

Dean eyed the alpha, torn between giving him a piece of his mind about the queen regent's reasons and telling him he can't buy Dean's affection. Eventually he looked away, pulling his hand out of the alpha’s grasp and turning back towards the window. He couldn't look at the other man for what he was about to do, knowing he has all the time in the world to chew out the prince and recognizing an opportunity...

“Actually, Charlie and I were wondering if we could borrow some horses from the stable on occasion.”

In the reflection of the mirror he could see the alpha perk up.

“Of course—I will send for Cole and tell him to bring his finest horses. You may choose whichever you like, for yourself and your handmaiden.”

“Uh, I’m sure the horses you already have will be fine—”

“Nonsense. You will have your pick of steeds, so you can ride at your own will. I will instruct him to hurry; if weather is good he should arrive by Thursday.”

Dean turned, mouth opening and closing as his mind failed to respond. Part of him was repelled by the extravagance, while another traitorous part of his mind whispered how cool it would be to have his own horse. Not feeling this was an issue he wanted to fight over, he gave a shaky nod.

“I—yeah, okay.”

“I’ll send the message right away. I should be back within the hour.”

The alpha exited the room, leaving behind a somewhat confused Dean. Still, he was relieved to have some alone time to decompress. He decided to take off the robe, placing it in the wardrobe before crawling into the bed. He only had a few minutes to think before his eyes became too heavy to keep open, sleep claiming him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think. School is hellishly busy and I promise I am going to be updating my other works next week during the break. This piece may be edited during that time.


End file.
